Ontario Fly Hatches

Typically, beginning in late April, when the days begin to warm up, an incredible event occurs that both the winter weary fly fisher and the hardened, lethargic animals below the waters surface wait for. The first hatches begin to come off the water. Mayflies dance their dance in the twilight and fall to the water to lay eggs and begin the cycle once again.

Plecoptera are an order of insects, commonly known as stoneflies. There are some 3,500 described species worldwide, with new species still being discovered. Stoneflies are found worldwide, except Antarctica. [nggalbum id=2 template=extend]

Mayflies or shadflies are insects belonging to the order Ephemeroptera (from the Greek εφημερος, ephemeros = “short-lived” (literally “lasting a day” “daily” or “day-long”), πτερον, pteron = “wing”, referring to the brief lifespan of adults). They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Palaeoptera, which also contains dragonflies and damselflies. They are aquatic insects whose immature stage (called “naiad” or, colloquially, “nymph”) usually lasts one year in fresh water. The adults are short-lived, from a few minutes to a few days, depending on the species. About 2,500 species are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America. [nggalbum id=3 template=extend]

The Grand River in southern Ontario is often boasted as being one of the best brown trout fly fishing rivers in Ontario. Many of us would beg to differ on that point, but it remains a very popular destination for fly fishers. The flow of the Grand River is regulated by the Shand Dam. There is an abundance of insect life that flows through this bottom draw dam year round, so the trout in the river are well fed.